Process of extracting metals from ores.



I PATENTBD MAY 31, 1904. W. E. GREENAWALT. PROCESS OF EXTRAGTING METALS PROM ORES.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.30, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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.part of this specification.

Patented May 31, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. G-REENAVVALT, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PROCESS OF EXTRACTING METALS FROM ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,164, dated May 31, 1904. Application filed October 30, 1903. Serial No. 179,181. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which forms a My invention relates to improvements in processes of extracting metals from their ores by the use of chlorin solutions. It refers more particularly to the application of chlorin as generated by electrolysis to the reduction of gold ores by what is known as the barrel process.

It is rarely that gold ores are so well adapted to chlorination that they can thoroughlybe treated by one application of a chlorin solution made under ordinary atmospheric pressure. -Most of the chlorin so absorbed is almost instantly consumed by the base elements in the ore, so that none or only a small portion remains to act on the gold. The action on gold with solutions so dilute is very slow and unsatisfactory. Recharging the barrel with fresh solution is therefore necessary. The

, difficulty, however, by the ordinary method of filtering and recharging is the time conconsumed.

My object in this invention is to charge the barrel with ore and solution, then after much or most of the chlorin has been consumed by satisfying the base elements displacing the old solution with a fresh quantity of new solution, which can then confine its action on the precious metals.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an apparatus well adapted to the carrying out of my process, in which I 1 is a chlorination-barrel .with a filter 2' at the bottom of the barrel.

3 is an inlet and 4 an outlet valve for the solutions.

5 is an electrolytic cell for generating chlorin from salt.

6 is a salt-tank supplying brine to the cell.

7 is a scrubbing-tower in which the chlorin generated in the cell is absorbed in aqueous solution.

8 is an exhauster which exhausts the chlorin from the cell and delivers it to the scrub hing-tower.

9 is a water-supply tank, and 10 is a storagetank where the chlorin solution is at all times ready for use.

12 is a precipitating-tank.

13 is a filter-press, and 14 a pipe to return the solution for reuse, if desired.

To facilitate the operation, the storage-tank 10 is preferably so located as to give considerable pressure in the barrel.

To operate the process, salt water is introduced into the positive compartment of the cell 5. The electric current is then turned on, and by the familiar decomposition of the salt chlorin is liberated in the positive cornpartment, while caustic soda and hydrogen are liberated in the negative compartments. The chlorin is exhausted from the cell by the exhauster 8 and conveyed intothe scrubbingtower 7, where coming in contact with water in a state of subdivision a saturated solution of chlorin is obtained, which flows into storagetank 10, where it is at all times ready for use. The barrel is then charged with ore and solution and revolved for a short time-say about one hour. The time will depend largely on the nature of the ore. It is then stopped, the storage-tank again connected with the barrel through the conduit 11, and the valve 1 is opened. The fresh solution under pressure will then quickly replace the old solution, which is allowed to flow into the precipitating-tank. After the old solution is displaced by the fresh solution the valves are again closed, the conduit 11 disconnected, and the barrel again revolved long enough to effect the necessary degree of extraction. The

final solution is then filtered from the ore by any of the usual methods and precipitated. The precipitated solution is then passed through the filter-press, where the precipitate IO treated into a closed vessel, agitating it for some time, then introducing fresh solution under pressure thereby displacing the first solution, again agitating the contents of the vessel, then filtering the solution from the ore and precipitating the desired metals.

WILLIAM E, GREENAWALT.

Witnesses:

J. W. GIBBS,

CHAs. H. SMITH. 

